https://sputnikglobe.com/20221212/swedish-academys-choice-of-nobel-prize-winner-under-fire-over-alleged-anti-semitism-1105366344.html
Swedish Academy’s Choice of Nobel Prize Winner Under Fire For Alleged Anti-Semitism
Swedish Academy’s Choice of Nobel Prize Winner Under Fire For Alleged Anti-Semitism
Sputnik International
Although the Swedish Academy said it was merely interested in the literary merit of Annie Ernaux' oeuvres and was not judging her on the basis of her... 12.12.2022, Sputnik International
2022-12-12T08:01+0000
2022-12-12T08:01+0000
2022-12-12T10:14+0000
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nobel prize
swedish academy
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The Swedish Academy has received harsh criticism for selecting French author Annie Ernaux as this year's Nobel laureate for literature.One of Sweden's leading daily newspapers criticized Ernaux’ support for French-Algerian writer Houria Bouteldja, whom it labeled “a well-known anti-Semite”.The criticism of Ernaux and, by extension, the Academy for choosing her was subsequently supported by Rabbi Abraham Cooper, one of the founders of the Jewish human rights organization Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles.According to Cooper, Ernaux disqualified herself for the award not only because she sympathized with Bouteldja, but also because she supported the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) - an international campaign calling for political and economic pressure to be exerted on Israel.“It is of course not the first time an anti-Semite has received the Nobel prize in literature,” Rabbi Cooper told Swedish media, “but here it is about someone who has consistently campaigned for BDS, a movement that has not helped a single Palestinian - was not created for that - but is only designed to weaken, demonize and eliminate Israel,” he added, calling the choice of Nobel Prize laureate “disgusting”.The Swedish Academy refused to recognize the criticism. It stressed that the award was made on the basis of her literary qualities and had not been meant as an assessment of her “contributions to the social debate”.Swedish publisher Svante Weyler, former chairman of the Swedish Committee against Anti-Semitism, questioned the official line that the Academy allegedly doesn’t take politics into account, remembering the furore which engulfed the Academy after it awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in literature to Peter Handke because of his views of the Nineties Yugoslav wars and overtly pro-Serbian stance.“It must be assumed that the careful work that they consider to be done for each Nobel Prize candidate must also include an examination of possible political problems in connection with the prize”, Weyler suggested to Swedish media.Ernaux was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory”. The 82-year-old avowed feminist is no stranger to political action: in 2018, Ernaux expressed her support for the Yellow Vests protests. She has also repeatedly indicated her support for the BDS movement, calling Israel an apartheid state.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20221006/french-writer-annie-ernaux-wins-2022-nobel-prize-in-literature-1101569287.html
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nobel peace prize in literature, annie ernaux, accusations of anti-semitism, bds movement, nobel prize controversy, is annie ernauz anti semitic, annie ernaux anti-semitism, nobel prize anti-semitism scandals,
Swedish Academy’s Choice of Nobel Prize Winner Under Fire For Alleged Anti-Semitism
08:01 GMT 12.12.2022 (Updated: 10:14 GMT 12.12.2022) Although the Swedish Academy said it was merely interested in the literary merit of Annie Ernaux' oeuvres and was not judging her on the basis of her “contributions to the social debate”, critics including international Jewish organizations found her support for the pro-Palestine BDS movement distasteful, calling the academy's choice “unsettling”.
The Swedish Academy has received harsh criticism for selecting French author Annie Ernaux as this year's Nobel laureate for literature.
One of Sweden's leading daily newspapers criticized Ernaux’ support for French-Algerian writer Houria Bouteldja, whom it labeled “a well-known anti-Semite”.
The criticism of Ernaux and, by extension, the Academy for choosing her was subsequently supported by Rabbi Abraham Cooper, one of the founders of the Jewish human rights organization Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles.
According to Cooper, Ernaux disqualified herself for the award not only because she sympathized with Bouteldja, but also because she supported the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) - an international campaign calling for political and economic pressure to be exerted on Israel.
“It is of course not the first time an anti-Semite has received the Nobel prize in literature,” Rabbi Cooper told Swedish media, “but here it is about someone who has consistently campaigned for BDS, a movement that has not helped a single Palestinian - was not created for that - but is only designed to weaken, demonize and eliminate Israel,” he added, calling the choice of Nobel Prize laureate “disgusting”.
“The fact that the Swedish Academy chooses to turn a blind eye to that part, regardless of her abilities and qualities she has, amid raging anti-Semitism on both sides of the Atlantic, I can't say I'm shocked, because this is a path they've chosen to go before, but it's still upsetting,” Cooper lamented. “The message to the Jewish part of the world is ‘Honestly, we don't give a damn about you and you might get what you deserve’.”
The Swedish Academy refused to recognize the criticism. It stressed that the award was made on the basis of her literary qualities and had not been meant as an assessment of her “contributions to the social debate”.
Swedish publisher Svante Weyler, former chairman of the Swedish Committee against Anti-Semitism, questioned the official line that the Academy allegedly doesn’t take politics into account, remembering the furore which engulfed the Academy after it awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in literature to Peter Handke because of his views of the Nineties Yugoslav wars and overtly pro-Serbian stance.
“It must be assumed that the careful work that they consider to be done for each Nobel Prize candidate must also include an examination of possible political problems in connection with the prize”, Weyler suggested to Swedish media.
6 October 2022, 11:05 GMT
Ernaux was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory”. The 82-year-old avowed feminist is no stranger to political action: in 2018, Ernaux expressed her support for the Yellow Vests protests. She has also repeatedly indicated her support for the BDS movement, calling Israel an apartheid state.
